The recently Golden Globe-nominated feature has an all-star cast that includes Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, and Glenn Close. Swan Song is about Cameron, a husband, and father who is expecting his second child but ends up being diagnosed with a terminal illness. From there, Cameron grapples on whether he should tell his family or not. This list will name the five excellent movies that involve the cast of Swan Song. Let’s get started with the first film.
The Place Beyond The Pines
In this underrated gem starring Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper, the film follows Luke, a mysterious motorcycle racer who desperately tries to reconnect with a former flame, who secretly gave birth to a baby boy. To support his new son, the stunt rider robs a series of banks; however, he crosses paths with an ambitious police officer who’s determined to take him down. The excellent film tackles a series of complex themes of family, love, and morality, and manages to blend them together thanks to a strong script that greatly explores the world of The Place Beyond of Pines. Not surprisingly, Gosling is excellent as a criminal whose heart is in the right place, with Cooper perfectly matching the Oscar nominee with his layered performance as Avery. A must-see for any movie-goer who missed out on this crime-thriller.
Hidden Figures
This empowering and timely piece focuses on three African American women at NASA – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson – as they serve as a vital part of the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, turning around the space race and changing the world as we know it. An engaging film that highlights unsung, heroes that isn’t discussed all too much in media, Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae are a tremendous combination as all three women have great chemistry with one another and their roles are given nice meat to it. Given the time period, Hidden Figures isn’t the deepest film you’ll ever see, but the story is well-paced and the actresses are able to effortlessly weave through the emotions necessary to pull off their roles.
Skyfall
In one of Daniel Craig’s most thrilling bond features, James Bond’s latest assignment goes awry, which leads to a series of downfalls for the undercover agent. In turn, his world is threatened and Bond must dive into the shadows of his past in order to safe MI6’s future. An action packed and equally layered film that’s jammed with stunning set pieces, jaw-dropping action sequences, and an electric performance by Craig. Understandably, the action takes center stage, but the story is what keeps this film together as it naturally flows that contains several big twists and turns. Javier Bardem once again shows us why he has an Academy Award. Silva is the opposite of No Country For Old Men’s Anton Chigurh, but it gives Bardem the chance to showcase his versatility. Silva is a charming, threatening, and methodical type villain, and the veteran knocks out his role with ease. The only negative was killing off Judi Dench’s M, though that’s more of personal nitpick since the actress fit M like a glove.
The Farewell
Lu Lu Wang’s touching dramedy follows Billi and her family, who return home to China to say goodbye to their loving grandmother, who only has a few weeks to live. However, the beloved matriarch is unaware of her illness and Billi must be able to hide her emotions as she goes through the guise of a fake wedding. An emotionally raw and beautiful film the highlights the strong relationship of family, and cultural differences between two countries. Wang’s premise is a bit on the absurd side; however, her sense of direction manages to expertly balance the comedy and drama that keeps The Farewell from being cartoonish or unbelievable. The star of the film is Shuzhen Zhao as Nai Nai, who’s a loveable and warming presence that anyone can connect to. Awkwafina holds her own playing the conflicted Billi, who has to waver her emotions as the secret weights on her mind throughout the film. Despite the grim subject, The Farewell is never dreary or boring, and does an excellent job at tugging on the heart strings.
Fatal Attraction
Despite 100s of clones, Fatal Attraction remains king as a sultry, obsessed thriller. This 1987 feature follows Dan Gallagher, a powerful lawyer with a beautiful wife and daughter. However, Gallager starts a casual fling with Alex and his world changes entirety. The family man breaks off the relationship, but this only fuels Alex’s anger that puts Dan and his family in danger. Sexy, fun, and engrossing, Fatal Attraction takes its time to properly develop its characters and Glenn Close is tremendous as the villain. Fatal Attraction is the standard of what an erotic thriller should be.
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